Walking Dead Prologue
by AliceRebel
Summary: Merle's daughter, Arialice lives with her Uncle Daryl and Merle. When things turn for the worse, the three have to keep moving to stay alive. Takes palace before the walking dead series, based off the walking dead game, Survival Instincts. I don't own the walking dead. I only own Arialice. Please rate and leave constructive criticism. I will get into the show later on promise.
1. Chapter 1

"Arialice." My Uncle called for me as he knocked on my door. "If ya wanna go with me up to Jess's cabin you gotta get ya ass up."

"Alice?" He asked again knocking.

"I'm up. I'm up." I call to him. "Give me a few minutes to get dress." I waited a few minutes for the foot to fade away before I decide to get out of my bed.

It was really early. The sun wasn't even up yet but I still pulled myself to get out of bed and get dress. I grabbed my favorite black and white stripped sweater and a pair of black skinny jeans and I slipped on a pair of my old warn out low heeled boots.

I open my bedroom door and make my way down the hall of the trailer me and Uncle Daryl. I walk to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Once done, I brush my hair straight and pull it back with a head band. Once done, I set out to find where my uncle had gone. I went out the front door to find my Uncle sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette.

"Ya good?" He asked, while flicking his cigarette.

"Yeah." I say sitting down next to him on the bench. "I'm sleeping on the way up." I say as I lay down and putting my head on his lap.

"Ya ain't sleepin' now. We leavin'." He said patting my head and pushing me up. He grabbed his keys and locked the door to the trailer. I followed Uncle Daryl down the stairs and to his worn out white truck. He opens the door for me and I slide into the passenger seat.

I rest my head on the door. My Uncle gets in and grab a blanket from behind the seat and drapes it over me. I mutter 'thanks'. He grunts in response. He always does that.

I fell in the truck. My head resting on the door, using my arms as a pillow. I cuddled the blanket tightly around my body. When I was younger me and my Dad used to do this all the time. We used to get up early to go on hunting trips. I never liked hunting but I loved watching the wildlife and Daddy always kept an eye on me. On the way home, I also fell asleep on the way home and dad would have to carry me into out trailer and put me to bed. God, I miss my daddy.

I awake to the radio playing country music and I decided to finally wake up. I am far from a morning person, but I sleep a while anyways.

"Ya sleep?" My Uncle asks, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Yeah." I say with a yawn. "I'm so fuckin' tired." I mutter without thinking.

"Ya better watch that mouth." He warned. He wasn't mean about it, but his voice held warning. I don't get how he and daddy can swear but I can't. I wouldn't dare question though, I know I'd get a lecture from them about mindin'.

"Sorry Uncky." I apologized. I use that nickname I gave him when I was nearly a toddler. I use that name on occasion when I'm in trouble and Uncle Daryl is mad at me. Most of the time it don't work. But he never stays mad at me.

"Ain't nothin' to be sorry for. Just watch that mouth of yours." He ruffles my hair and sends me a little smile.

With my dad being locked up in jail, my Uncle is the only one who can take care of me, besides my wrench of a mother, but I would rather be with my grandfather then her and that's pretty bad. I don't like bring up my daddy because it makes me sad that he isn't here with me. But I'm very lucky to my uncle.

"So, I have a question." I say, breaking the silence.

"Spill." He spats.

"What did daddy go to jail for this time?" I asked looking at him with puppy eyes.

He snorts "Merle in his natural habitat." He looks at me and shakes his head. "Ya daddy got busted for drugs again."

"Oh." Is all I could say. I don't know what else to say. My daddy is always getting busted for some shit. I'm not supposed to use that words but oh well. But he is always there for me. Even when he gets locked up, he stills calls and writes to me. Uncle Daryl takes me down to visit him when he has a day off of work.

But when I lived with the wrench in Mexico, I only saw my daddy during the summer. But I used to call him up all the time, crying on the phone. My daddy would talk to me for hours telling me not to cry and telling me he is doing everything he can to get me full time. One time I took a flight home, I was about seven at the time and I got bite by a snake of some kind while working in the field. I told my mother but she didn't want to be bothered. And told me to suck it up and stop being a baby. I was scheduled to go see my Daddy and Uncle Daryl's, and I wasn't feeling well. I thought it was the flight in.

I told my daddy I was tired and I went to bed early that night. A few hours later I woke up in pain and sweat. I tried to walk out of the door to find either Daryl or daddy but I felt dizzy, I fell and hit my head on the wall. My Daddies room is right next to mine, so when I hit the wall he felt it. He came running into my room and turned on the light.

"You're sweating. Ya sick?" I remember him asking me.

I don't remember answering him but I remember him touching my wrist to help me up and I screamed in agony. He looked at my wrist and saw it was swollen and as I though, snake teeth marks were present on the skin.

"Daryl! Get in here now!" Daryl came rushing into the room and daddy told him everything. Uncky and Daddy rushed me to the hospital to get it drained. The doctor told daddy he was lucky when he bought me in when he did. She said I could have die if he waited another day. Daddy was furious.

As soon as we got home, daddy called the wrench up screaming at her for neglecting her child or something like that. Then after he got off the phone with her, he carried me to my room. I was still in pain but it wasn't bad, but mostly drowsy from the meds.

He had to help me get undressed because he didn't want me sleeping in my wet pajamas from sweating so much, before and on the way to the hospital. As he took off my shirt, he stopped and started tracing something on my back. It was one line then a few more. He muttered something but didn't understand fully what he said.

"Daddy?" I question.

"Alice. Be honest with me. Where did you get these scars on your back?"

I bit my lip and shook my head.

"Arialice!" He spook sternly. "Where did you get these?" he yelled that part and it scared me. I hate it when he yells.

"Mama." I whispered. I felt my daddy go tense.

"Alice, does she beat you?" I nod.

He sighed but didn't say anything after that. He pulled my shirt over my head and I pulled my arms through. He tucked me into bed and kissed my forehead. I asked him if he was mad at me. I remember him saying never.

The following morning I woke up to hear my Uncle and Daddy Talking outside. I leave my window open at night because it can get really hot in my room even with the fan.

"Ya think she did it?" Uncle Daryl asked.

"My child don't lie! That woman ain't right!" My dad's yelling

"What are ya gonna do, Merle?"

"What do you mean 'what am I gonna do?' Get custody of my kid! That's what I'm gonna do."

"We gotta take this to court. Get a lawyer."

"Yeah, no shit. Listen baby brother, we gotta protect her. Farrah ain't right in the head."

"You hooked up with her."

"Yeah. But I got one hell of a kid out of it. The only good thing. Arialice is the best child I could ever ask for. I wouldn't have it any other way. And I don't want her going through what we went through as kids."

"Yeah I know."

"I always have you're back. I'm the only man you could ever count."

"Yeah I know."

"Well that girl in there, she counting on us to protect her. And that's what I'm gonna do."

After about a year of fighting. My Daddy and Uncle Daryl gained full custody of me. I never been so happy to be out of Mexico and back in Deerwood. Anyways since the move, I haven't even spoke to the wrench, won't even call her my mom, because she ain't.

The memory was cut short when we arrived at Jess's cabin. I am very happy to see Jesse, it's been a while.

"Uncle Jesse!" I screamed jumping out of the truck. I ran and gave Jesse a hug. He hugged me back of course. We talked for about ten minutes before Uncky cut us off from talking.

"Hey Jess. Where's the old man?" Daryl ask.

"He left about an hour ago. Didn't wanna wait." Jess said.

"Not surprised. Alice, go inside and wait for me to come back." I didn't like the idea of being alone. I mean, I'm a big girl, I can look after myself for a little while. Daddy says I am not a big girl till I turn 12. I am 2 years shy of it, so close enough. I don't argue and go inside.

Once inside, I go into the other room and go sit on the couch. I close my eyes for a minute when I heard a gunshot. I figured they must have shot a buck or a deer, but then I heard several more. Things went quiet for a few before one more shot rang out.

I was about to run out the door, but Jesse and Daryl came rushing into the cabin. Daryl doesn't say a word to me, just goes into the back room, I was just in and shut the door. I turn to Jesse and... Did he always have a bit on his arm?

"Jesse? What happened?" he didn't say anything to me. Only started grabbing things and stuffing them into the bag. Uncle Daryl came out the other room, and Jesse asked me to go into the other rooms he could talk to my Uncle alone.

I go into the other room and push my ear up to the door, trying to listen to what they're saying. Uncle Daryl always yells at me listening in on other peoples conversation. He says it's rude and it doesn't involve me.

"Daryl, we need to work up a plan." Jess says.

"Have ya ever seen anything like that?" MY uncle asks. I really wanna ask what they saw but keep listening instead.

Jess says something like if my uncle told him, he'd call him a liar. Daryl suggest to kill every last one, whatever that means. But jess says something about a lot of them outside. He tells Daryl to grab some gas cans.

"I'll grab Alice and meet you at the truck." I back away from the door and rush to the couch like the good little girl I am.

"Alice, come on we need to go." Jesse grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the cabin. As soon as I got outside, I was grabbed by what seemed to be a man or what used to be a man. I screamed. Then jess shot that thing in the head. Jess picked me up and practically threw me into the truck.

"Alice. Ya alright?" I look at him. I nod then shake my head.

"Jesse, what was that thing?" I ask him. He shakes his head.

"I don't know. But it killed your grandfather." He says lowering his head.

"Is my Uncle okay?" I asked.

"Daryl's tough. He can handle himself. Don't you worry, alright?" I nodded my head.

As I played the scenario in my head. My uncle jumped into the truck and Jesse pulled away.

"Heard you scream. Ya alright?" He asked pulling me into a hug.

"Yeah. Jesse saved me." I said, placing my head on his shoulder.

Jesse and Daryl both agreed to take the back roads. Better chance to gather supplies that way. Daryl takes the blanket I was using earlier and drapes it over me wrapping me tightly in it. Jess and Daryl don't say anything for a long while. Then Jess started to fiddle with the radio.

"Not a damn thing, and my phone ain't workin' either." He sighs. "Hey, about your dad, I don't know what to say about that."

He pulled me closer. "Then don't! Leave it be." He sighs and looks down at me. "We gotta tell merle what happened." I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I suppose we do. But we oughta warn people first." Jess states.

"What! Go to the cops? Please! We got to get merle."

"Merle he... well he's just not right." I lifted my head from my Uncles chest and opened my mouth to speak, but Uncky spoke first.

"What'd you say to me old Man!? Merle's ten times the man you are!" Daryl yelled.

"Alright alright... it just seems you boys turn hay to shit when you're together."

"I'll agree with that statement." I mutter placing my head back on my uncle's chest. He started stroking my head and a petting motion. I slowly drifted off, hoping that all of this, is just a really bad nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2

We arrived at what used to be a town. There is trucks, cars, and a gas truck blocking the way through. We get out of the truck and weigh are options.

"No way through that. We're on foot from here." Daryl says to Jess.

"Ah, boy, bet them psychos came here, too." Jess says.

"Yeah, maybe. Town circled their wagons, you see? Looks like a DMZ."

"If there's any gas, it'll be at Lucky's."

"Uncky, let me come with you." I say.

"Nah, you stay here. I'll be safer."

"Cover more ground." I argue.

"NO! You're saying. Stop arguing." He says to me. I huff but don't say anything after. He leaves and I saw him walk into what used to be a pharmacy.

I say at the truck with Jess. It's hot outside, at least 90 today. I grab the blanket from the truck and lay it down in the bed and sit down in it.

"Alice, I'm gonna see what I can gather for supplies. You stay here, and take this." He hands me a gun. "You see anything, you shoot it." I nodded and he left me.

It must have been an hour or maybe five, I don't know time anymore. But Jess came back to the truck and told me to inside, and that my uncle is coming back and we gotta go. He waited outside and I heard him yell to my uncle.

"Daryl! Get back over here!"

"What do you think I'm DOING Jess!? Start the damn truck!"

He threw the gas into the back of the truck. A man joined us. His name is Blake, he's a good shot, at least that's what he says. Jess starts the truck and we leave before those things could come back.

"Are you alright?" I ask my uncle.

"Nothin' I can't handle." He says.

We drive for the rest of the day. It was getting really hot in the truck and once the sun started to go down, my uncle rolled down the window. The air is cool and it feels good.

"She's not gonna make it. We gotta pull off. Find a new ride." My uncle says.

"Hm... Don't like the idea of stopping at night. It's hard to see."

"We ain't got a whole lot of choice."

"Can't be TOO careful till we know more about them."

We pull off and get out of the truck and take a look around. Blake goes out to see if he could scavenge up something useful.

"Ugh. Another cop." Jess says.

"We'll handle this. As soon as we score new wheels, we're out."

"Yeah I'm on it. I'll whistle if I turn up anything." Jess bends over putting his hand on his back. He looks sick. But I don't say anything.

"Hey! You okay?" My uncle asks. He sounded worried.

He waves his hand. "I'm fine. Little tired, maybe. Been a long day." I nod in agreement. It has been a very long day. Mostly traveling though.

"C'mon Alice, you're goin' with me." I nod and follow him. "Stay close. Don't wonder off."

We walk to the cop and it seemed he's talking on the radio. "...yeah. Real bad. Damn massacre is what it is. Looks like a lot of folks tried to hold up here. But well... Yeah found a couple... not as far as I can tell... Maybe one more coming..."

"You picked a rough place to stop. Campground's a slaughterhouse." He says to us

"Yeah, I hear ya. But my truck's done for."

"Yeah, I see that. Albert Lee. Pemberton Sheriff's Department."

"Daryl Dixon, my niece Arialice. Think you could give us a lift?"

"Eh, gotta get them over to memorial... if it's still open." Albert points at the people in the car.

"So then can you set me up with one of these?"

"Sorry, man. No keys."

"Damn it." I mutter and my uncle sends me that look.

"Tell you what:" He looked down at me. "There WAS a ranger. Hartwell. He was driving back to his station looked like HE had Plenty of room. Here take this," He hands a shotgun to my uncle. "Wish I could do more for you."

We entered the campground and saw two walkers standing at the front entrance. I stunk up behind one and my uncle the other. I stab mine in the head and when the walker turned to me, my uncle stab the other.

We circle the campground gathering what we could and take out walkers as we did. We did find the rangers car.

"No keys. Shit." He muttered. I pointed at the sign that said 'Rangers Station'.

He walked up the hill to the station. We walked slowly into the station. Can't be too careful. We walk around the station.

"Hello!? Is anyone there?! HELLO?!" A woman's voice sounded out. I run back to the front room.

"Alice!" He calls after me.

"Can you hear me? Anyone!?"

"Hello? I don't see any ranger here, lady." Uncky says pushing me aside.

"I was just TALKING to him. Who IS this?!"

"I'm Daryl, the guy you scared the crap out of. Where are you?"

"I'm at a motel in Pemberton! I'm—there was a deputy here but they... he's dead... I'm using his radio thing... They're right outside the DOOR! Can you hear them!?"

"Tell her to shut up." I whisper to my uncle. I look around rapidly.

"Keep it together, Elizabeth. Stay quiet. They can probably hear you."

"No! NOOO! Ranger! Come help me! Come help me, PLEASE!

"Lady! Elizabeth! There AIN'T no ranger..."

I felt something grab me. "DARYL!" I screamed. He turned around, and knifed what I think was the Ranger in the head. "Guess there WAS a ranger here. Oops."

"We gotta find the keys."

"Check the office. I bet they are in there." I say walking into the office. I look on the ground and see the keys sitting on the ground.

"Yeah, I EARNED these."

I heard the door break open. "We gotta go!" I yell.

We run out the back door, and ran by a whole lot of walkers. We ran down the hill to see Jess standing at the ranger jeep.

"Hey! Jess! Don't worry about wiring it. I got the keys! Jess—Aw Jess. No..." I looked at him. I froze. I couldn't move as I saw my uncle knife what used to be Jess in the head.

"Jess..." That was all I could say. I really like—liked Jess.

"Alice? Hey! Alice?" He said. I shot my head up. "You with me." I nod. "Then get in. We're going."

Blake came back with 4 rounds. Better than nothing I guess. We drove off into the night and all I can think is where we go from here. But I know that answer, going to get my daddy out of jail, if he's still alive...


	3. Chapter 3

Everything just got so bad so fast. First my grandfather, then Jess what if... no I can't think about that right now. I look over at my uncle, he's has his arm on the door and he's thinking. I put my head down and I felt a tear come to my eye. I turn my head to the window hoping he wouldn't see.

"Ya cryin?" I don't look. I just pull my blanket tighter around me. Conceal, don't feel. Best advice I was ever given. "Alice?"

"I can't..." I stop. If I talk, I might cry. Just the thought of losing my uncle... no stop!

"Alice. Talk to me." He's talking in that special voice. That voice I can't ignore.

"It's just the thoughts." I muttered.

"What thoughts?"

"losing." That's all I say.

"Ya ain't. I got you."

"No. I'm scared of losing you. And if Daddy is still alive." I hear him sigh.

"Ya ain't gonna lose me. I told ya that."

"I know but..."

"Baby girl, I got ya, stop worrying."

"But what about—"

"Merle is one tough son-a-bitch. Trust me darlin' your daddy gonna be just fine."

"Promise?"

"I promise baby girl." He ruffles my hair and it makes me smile.

I reach over and turn on the radio.

"...be afraid of the terror by, nor of the arrow that flies by day! Repent, repent and be the bow of salvation."

My uncle reached over and turned the radio off.

"Enough of that shit."

I looked over at my uncle and shook my head at him.

"And you yell at me for swearing." I muttered.

"Watch it." He warned and I shut my mouth for the rest of the trip.

We arrived at the town my dad is in and we had to park in a back ally. Uncky sent Blake to find more supplies.

"Place is lousy with eaters. Something's got them bowed up."

My uncle placed his hand on my shoulder and we walked down a narrow ally. There is graffiti on the walls. We walked to the back parking lot to see a bunch of cars parked. I didn't see anyone around so I looked around at the cars and started going through them, gathering what I can.

I found a knife. Good something to defend myself with. I also found some ammo that may come in handy. I watch as a walker comes up behind me. I pushed it and stabbed it in the dead. I walk back over to my uncle and he is knifing one in the head.

"What is it this time?" I hear him mutter. I look up at him as we walk threw a gate. I shut it, in case more of them come. "Where are you, Merle?" There is another parking lot, and across it the lot, is a door and it's open. "Be quiet." He tells me and I nod in responds.

As we walk through the door and we walk down the hall way. "What have we got in here...?" He mutters at me and I shrug. There is a bunch of walkers by the counter and I look at my uncle and he sees to.

"All right buddy. It's okay. We're gonna get through this." I hear a woman say. I listen closely, to see where it's coming from. "Hey, a little help over here?" I rush to where the eaters are at the counter. I chuckled at how it looked as if they are trying to order food. They're four of them, good number. I take 2 my uncle takes two. I knifed one and my uncle did the same. They turned to me. I knifed one but the other one grabbed me.

I tried to stab it myself but my uncle got it for me. The walker feel on top of me and it smelled so bad. I pushed it off and stood up. "You never get used to the smell." I muttered. He walked around to find the door open and a table blocking the way. We jumped over the table to talk to the woman.

She's pretty her brown hair pulled into a ponytail and there is a guy on the ground, his shoulder is bleeding. "Thanks. From both of us." She said with a sigh.

"He bit?" Me and Uncky said together.

"Huh-uh. Gunshot. Some crazy asshole is sniping at us and car alarms. I dragged Noah in here. They followed."

"Who's 'us?' You two?"

"Gotta whole team out there... Or did. We scavenge supplies for the local survivor camps."

"There're survivor camps?"

"Um. Yeah? The military supplies some of them with weapons, meds... there's a big one at the Cherokee Hill Sawmill. We were doing pretty well, until that psycho sniper showed up and bought a whole mob of bitters down on top of us. We got split up, pinned down... killed... I need to get my people together. One of my runners, Mia, is held up in the theater across the street. Help her out, and I'll make it worth your while." She points down at a bag full of supplies. "I'll trade you one of those. Lot of goodies in there, Hillbilly. Tell her scout sent you."

"I'll think about it." Is all my Uncle says.

"I wouldn't do it. Sounds too good to be true." I say to him as we run across the street to the movie theater.

"Why ya say that?"

"I can read people."

"Good to know." He walk into the back room and found a bag. "Looks like one Scout had. Mia?" We look in the bag together. "Ain't much in it."

"At least you don't have to do the trade. That bag is what you were gonna get." I mutter with a sly smile. We head through a door to see a woman looking at us. She screamed something like Don't shoot me and she ran.

"Mia! Wait!" I run after her and my uncle runs after me.

"Hey!"

We run up the stairs and open the door to see a woman standing there.

"Get away from me you asshole."

"I ain't the asshole you're worried about."

"Who ARE you then?"

"I'm a different one." We hear a gun shot. "See? Not me. Uh, Scout asked us to come look in on ya."

"You know, Scout? She sent you?"

"Yeah. She's across the street. In that dinner."

"Oh, Thank God. I thought the shooter... every time I put my head out, he's all over me. I lost all my gear, so I'm pretty much trapped. The theater is locked up tight since they started loading corpses in there. Exits is blocked, and there's a bunch of them. There's a half-ladder down. Clear the way and i can get out, and back to scout."

"Let's do it. I gotta get to police station to get my brother, anyways. Alice, you wait here with Mia."

"The police station? But that's where the killer is set up! You think your brother is even alive?"

"Yeah. I've got my suspicions."

I snort when my uncle says that and I wait with Mia.

"You think he's gonna find his brother?" Mia asked me.

"Yeah. We're gonna find him." I look out the window to see my uncle moving a cart and he waves for use to come down. I start to climb down but I missed my footing and slipped off the ladder.

"God damn it." I mutter. My vision was blurry for a second before it became clear again. I felt my head and I felt something warm and wet. I looked at my hand and saw blood. I stood up and saw my uncle standing over me.

"Shit, you alright?" He says offering me a hand. I take it and pull myself off.

"I've been through worse." I mutter. We run out the door and across the street to see a door and we can use that as a ramp to get over the fence. "Uncle Daryl..." I say pointing at the door. He see it too. About four eaters are lined up at the door.

"Be quiet." He tells me sneaking up behind one and taking it out. He takes out the other two. I take out the last one and open the door before shutting it behind us.

"Merle! DIXON!" Daryl yells. I look around at all the dead people.

"DAD!" I yell out. He looks down at me. We enter a room and it full of cubical, like the ones the wrench used to work at. She was a phone sells person or something like that. She got fired for being rude to clients.

"Where's the king of the monsters?"

"I'm looking at him." I say and he playfully nudges me.

"Come on, Merle. Where are you hiding at?" We walked to what I think are holding cells. "Merle, in his natural habitat. Merle... oh man. You crazy son of a bitch... where did you get off to from here?" We looked at all the blood and I looked at my uncle.

"I wanna hear this story behind this." My uncle shook his head. "What?"

"Nothin'." We open a metal door and found a staircase. "Think we found your Dad." He says while walking up the stairs. "My brother, the crazy psycho shooter." I follow him up the stairs and we come to the roof exit. We were about to open it when I heard my dad's voice. My uncle pushed me away from the door.

"Oh no! Sneaking up are we? No, no, no. You're never gonna take me back there!"

"Dad it's—"

"Aw, come on Merle it's us! Merle!"

"WHAT'S LOWER THAN IMPERSONATING A MAN'S LONG-LOST BABY BROTHER AND DAUGHTER? You're just trying to gain false entry?! That's what you're doing."

"Damnit, Merle. I'm just going to leave you here."

"Keep your pants on sweetheart. I locked this place down pretty good..." He opened the door and grabbed both me and my Uncle Daryl and pretty much threw us before shutting the door.

"Missed you too." I said while catching my balance.

"Them people locked me up for days in the dark with all of them abominations! But look'ee who's just a LITLE BIT too smart for them!"

"Dad..."

"Bro you're stir-fried from the sun, and the booze and whatever else you been into."

"I DO feel a little warm, now that you mention it. I sprang myself, see? Established my little snipers nest right here. And then I commenced sending those soldiers packing. I rang the alarms calling in the abomination."

I looked at my father wide.

"Those aren't soldiers down there! Just some scavengers trying to help people out. They don't even know who you are." Thank you Uncle Daryl.

"There're in UNIFORM, ain't they?! And they came to take me back to the HOLE! I'm not going anywhere but JAKES's and that's where you're gonna take me! Come on!" My dad nearly fell but me and Daryl was lucky to catch him.

"Let's go, ya ape. I gotta lug your thick ass across town. Man, you must be running over a hundred and six!" My uncle said pulling him up.

"My chair!"

"Yeah, it'll be here when we come back." Daryl grabbed my dad's arm and started dragging him back to the jeep. Once inside, my dad takes the front seat. I reach in the bag next to me and got a bottle of water from it.

"Here, drink this." I said handing him the bottle.

"Thanks, Darlin'." He says back to me.

He takes the water from me and Lay back in the seat. Mia didn't come with us and Blake never made it back either. I sat with my head looking out the window. I see walking along the highway. It made me sad not seeing animals like we always did.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "Lady talked about the Sawmill, but the hospital..."

"Hospital is the better bet." My uncle says to me.

"Merle... Man. I gotta tell you something. Something happened bro."

"I got it. Full bore. Flesh eating apocalypse."

"Yeah. Yeah. But... we were up at jess' camp house when the... when the eaters came down on us. We never heard anything about 'em. They tore us up. Jess, Alice and me we were the only ones to get out."

"Where's the old man?"

"He was at the camp house too. He didn't make it, bro."

"He's dead?! The old man's DEAD?! You let the abominations get him?! Did he turn INTO one?! Did you let THAT happen, too?!"

"No. I... we gave him mercy."

"What'd he say? ...What did he SAY?!

"He said... uh... he said, 'Tell merle I'm proud of him.' Merle?"

"Hmmm..." I heard him sniffle. My dad is... crying? "What did he really say?"

My uncle fell silent. The rest of the trip was silent. I placed my head on the seat and closed my eyes as I drifted off to sleep.

Everything was normal. I was back home at the trailer house with my father. I was in my room, must be doing some homework or what not. I heard a knock at my door. I opened the door, my father, came busting into my room. Though he wasn't my daddy anymore. He grabbed my arm and I screamed no one came to help me. He bit into my arm I kept screaming for him to stop but he wouldn't, he was on top of me and I was on the floor. He dug his teeth into my neck.

I woke up in sweat and I saw my daddy in the front seat arguing with my uncle. He wasn't an eater, good. I sighed and laid back down. I couldn't help but smile at knowing my daddy was okay and somewhat back to his normal self.

"We ain't stoppin'."

"Damnit, Merle you needs meds. Shit, rest up. I'm stopping."

"Yeah whatever. But we gotta get to Jakes."

I roll my eyes at how childish he sounds but smile anyways.


	4. Chapter 4

We arrived at the hospital and to the looks of the outside, it may be over run, but we are kind of out of any other options. My dad needs meds and I could use whatever medical supplies I could gather. They may come in handy later on but I honestly don't know.

"I need some methicillin, some penicillin, better yet Vancomyoin." Dad says getting out of the jeep.

"No, you stay put, you'd just slow me down right now. I'm taking Alice with me."

"The hell I would. But I was thinking of kicking my feet up. Alice, watch your twenty." I nodded.

"I can handle it."

"I'm sure you can." He muttered.

We entered the Hospital and good news is, the power is still on, that's a good thing. We entered what I think used to be the lobby area. There is a front desk some chairs and a dead body hung over the counter.

"Gross." I mutter, the smell, you never get used to it. Daryl is right next to me, looking around.

"Smell gettin' to you?" He says with a smirk.

"I'll let you know when it does." I gag and walk away from the rotting body.

He shakes his head and opens up a metal door. We enter a hallway with hospital rooms. Most of them locked but there was one door open, barricaded with tables and stretchers. We heard a voice say something along the lines of 'my arm hurts'.

My uncle snuffed. "She bought you to the hospital after all, huh diner boy."

"Scout? She went to the morgue, get some medical tools." The man replies. "She said there were some mean-looking military dudes, so look out, man."

"We need meds. Got any you can spare?" I ask. He looks down at the table.

"Gauze and... tongue depressors, sorry."

"Were gonna keep moving. C'mon." He nudges me and I follow him down the hallways.

"We should check the rooms. Might be something useful." I say opening one of the doors. "I found some bandages." I whisper out to him.

"Might come in handy." He says while stuffing them into the bag on his back. We search the rest of the rooms looking and grabbing what we could.

We keep walking down the before entering the cafeteria. Maybe some food, I am really hungry, but can't think about that right now. "Some light would be nice." He mutters.

"What do you see?" I hear my uncle over the radio.

"What do you think I see? It's a fucking hospital." He respond back. Again, he can swear but I can't. Again unfair!

We keep walking down to the morgue area. Hopefully there are meds there, I'm starting to get creeped out. So far, no eaters but you can't be too careful.

Across the way, there are double doors. I think it used to be a nurses break room. My best friend, Jessuly, her mom used to be a nurse, I doubt she still is. But I used to visit her at work and me and jess would chill in the break room while her mom worked. I consider Sandra my mother.

My dad's voice rips me from my though. "Where can you get a poke and a smoke around here?" I wince. It was loud, even I heard it.

Snarls sounded from the room. "Damnit Merle! You're gonna get us killed." I grabbed my knife and threw it at the walkers head. It went clear through and so did the second one. My uncle got the last one as I retrieved them. I'm a good shot in case you didn't know.

We went on our way, first some stairs and then be mobbed by eater and finally falling through the floor, we made it to the entrance of the morgue. I slammed the door shut behind me. In a small room I see a doctor and it takes me a moment to understand what's going on.

"Who – who are you?" the woman asks us.

"Were looking for meds. Antibiotics mostly. Got any you can spare?" My uncle asks the doctor.

"Hey man! HEY! SHOOT HER! SHOOT THAT BITCH!" I look up to see a man trapped in a room.

"What the hell? Let him go!" I scream at her.

"These are desperate time's sweetheart. You need meds and I need a fresh sample."

"Don't listen to her! She's Crazy-"

"You think I'm listening?" I scream to him before turning my attention back to the nut job of a doctor. "Bitch! Let him go!"

"I'm sorry, but we need to get ahead of this disease. One fresh sample will save million."

"You're fucking psycho!"

"What am I doing? There's got to be another way! What if, no. Maybe if we could just. No time, there's just no time. I, we need to make this sacrifice. It is no different from taking tissue from a viable donor to save another life. No."

"Daryl, we needs those meds." I whisper to him. "And we can't let him die."

"The hell you doing!" HE screams at the doctor and looking up at the guy trapped in the room. "I need those meds." The door it's open. I run for the door gotta save him can't let him die. Daryl calls after me. "Where the hell you going?"

"Can't let him die!" I shout to him.

"What? What are you DOING?"

"Saving his damn life."

We enter the room to see the man pinned in the corner trying to pry the eaters off with a chair. I open my revolver, six rounds, I got this, and I'm a good shot. I fire off the first one knocked two down with one shot. The rest went down easy.

"Where the hell ya learn that?"

"It's something I had to learn."

"Why?"

I didn't answer him.

"Thank you thank you! I owe you big time. I gotta go find scout." The man said in a relieved tone.

"You do that. Where's that bitch doctor?" my uncle spats.

"She ran off while you were fighting."

"She knew what was good for her then." I smirk at him.

"Hey. I found these before they caught me. It's not much,"

"They'll work thank you." I say taking them and giving him a small smile.

We leave, running down the hallways to avoid the eaters crowding the hallways. I run to the door and one my uncle enter I shut the door behind us and continue down the stairs to the back parking lot where my dad is waiting in the car.

"Where did you learn to shoot like that?" My uncle stops before opening the door to the back parking lot.

"I learned. I have dad's eagle eye, and your hunting skills. Shooting in general? Comes naturally." I say opening the door and walking out to the care. He didn't say anything to me after that for the rest of the trip. My dad took his meds and we continued on to Jake's where my dad is persistent on going.


	5. Chapter 5

We continued the drive to the Lemon Hill's Summer Festival. I guess we have to cut through that to get to Jake's. But from what I heard, there was supposed to be a fireworks show there. Fourth of July's fireworks show, but that was either a week or two ago. Me and dad were gonna go like we do every year. But those times are done, for now anyways.

"Yes, sir! I just cannot wait to see the look on their faces when we get to the club house." My dad says to my uncle.

"They gonna do right by us, Merle?" Daryl questions. He does that a lot with my dad's choices. I'm glad he don't do that to me.

Dad laughs. "Sure they will. The Savage Sons Motorcycle Club is a loving crew."

"Yeah, they sound it." Daryl mutters to himself. He's not convinced.

"Don't get your panties all in a bunch, son." My dad turns to the window. "Shit, you see that?"

"Hundreds of 'em, like a damn walker convention." I miss going to conventions.

"They're heading straight for the club. We got to stop them or we'll never make it." I don't know what so special about that club but whatever. That's my dad for you.

We arrived like was planned and we get out of the car. Dad and Uncle Daryl went over the plans on what to do. I look at them talking, giving them the confused look because it's a very confusing situation.

"Me and Alice will head left then circle back. You go right and then meet me in the middle." I rather go with my dad on this one.

"So what are we looking for?" Daryl asks.

"Anything that'll stop that parade of deaders reaching the bar."

"The towns gotta be cleared out by now." They both look at me. "Just saying."

"We'll we won't know unless we look. C'mon Alice." My dad nudges me and I follow him, staying close to him in case something happens or goes wrong. We come across a door and I hear moans and groan from inside. "Knock on the door three times. Wait ten seconds and let them out ONE at a time." My dad clicks his gun. I do as I'm told and let the first one out. Once that one was down I let the second one out. Once down I noticed he had keys on him.

We entered the door that led into the gas station. "See if you can find the door that will fit that key." My dad says while snooping around at other things. I open the door and couldn't believe what I found.

"Dad come over here!" I yell to him. He comes over. "Think these can help in anyway?" My dad grabs a box and calls my uncle on the radio. "Meet me at the gas station across from the church. Found somethin' interesting."

I sit on the counter and my dad stood behind it pulling out the content of the box. The door opened and my uncle stepped in. He told me to move so he could talk to my dad. I moved an inch and he picked me up and placed me on the ground.

"What you got?"

"Hey lookie here. This town was rigged for a firework show!"

"Finally! Something useful in this hole."

"Adapt and overcome Little D!"

"Load up the church with as many bundles as we can find, draw in as many walkers as we can, and just—"

"Bang goes the dynamite!"

I hope back up on the counter as soon as my uncle leaves. I look at my dad and the fireworks. I hope he knows what he is doing. Like I stated before I don't agree what half the things my dad does. He's not the brightest at planning these things.

"So what? We just gonna chill here?"

"Nope. I gotta get this place ready to blow. Start putting these bundles around and when Daryl sets the church up we do the same." I nod and start setting the bundles in place.

"Daryl..." My dad pulls out his radio. "You think these walkers feel pain?"

"I hope they do." My uncle mutters back.

"You know I got your back. Hell, I'm the only man you could ever count on."

"Yeah. I know."

From what I heard from my dad, is that my grandfather used to beat on both my dad and uncle when they were younger. My grandmother died of drinking when Uncle Daryl was younger than me. But my daddy's biggest fear was having me around my grandfather, was because of what he did to them. But he never knew what my mother did, or what I had to do to survive.

"I'm in the church." My uncle says over the radio, cutting me from that thought.

"You gotta position the ordnance properly, or it's just gonna fizzle out. You got me?"

My uncle didn't answer back, so i guess he knows what my dad means. We wait for Daryl to place the bundles and wait for him to tell us if he got it or not. We wait for Daryl to ring the church bell and to find out when he should light our side.

We heard the first bell "Wake up! They're pourin' in now! Go on and call 'em in for Sunday service, little brother! All right, baby! Standing room only! Light 'em up, Boy!"

We saw the church go up, and my uncle told me to wait outside and he lit a match and threw it at the box of fireworks. We ran to the car as the gas station went up in flames.

"Great job little D."

Daryl holds up a pair of keys. "Got us a need ride, more space and room."

We took the van, the new vehicle Daryl found. And we continue on to Jake's and hopefully there won't be any more road blocks. But why we have to go there instead of any evacuation point is beyond me but I won't dare ask dad why we are going there. I'm sure he has his reasons.


	6. Chapter 6

"Yes sir. I've been looking forward to this every day for the last month." My dad says while kicking his feet up on the dash board. Once again when I do it, I get yelled at.

"Yeah? So what's the surprise Merle?" Daryl sounds annoyed.

"What? Right... wouldn't be a surprise now if I told you, right?"

"I hate surprise." I say leaning over the seat. "Can you just tell me? I promise I won't tell."

"Sorry darlin', but you got a bigger mouth then you're lead to think." He's joking. But I push back on the seat, crossing my arms.

"It's gonna be nothin' if I have to pull over." My uncle threatens.

"Alright, alright. Just trying to do something nice is all."

"Alright, I'm pulling over." Daryl starts to pull over.

"I kept something of yours and Alice's. It's back at the bar with my hawg."

"What for?" Daryl asks before I could ask my question. What would he have that belongs to me?

"Same reason I kept this wrist band that Mamma gave me, I suppose."

Dad told me his mom gave him something very special before she died. He never told me what it was. He always wore that wrist band and I loved it so much but I never knew why. When I was five years old, he gave me an Aquamarine ring for my birthday. It's always been my favorite gem. But when I went back to Mexico, the bitch stole it, and sold it to get drug money. The following summer, my dad asked me why i wasn't wearing the ring, I told him the truth. He was mad, not at me, but at her and we went out and bought me another one, but made me swear to leave it at his house. I did and that's what I'm looking at now.

"Couldn't believe that bitch sold the first one I gave ya." At this point my dad's looking at me.

"At this point, I hope she's dead." I say to him. "She deserves it."

"Ya don't mean that." He says. I look up at him

"Really want to test that?" Daryl looks at me then to my dad.

"Leave it." He whispers to him and he does drop it. He turns around drive in silence. My dad knows how I feel about her and I know he feels the same way. But he feels responsible for what happened to me over the years, but I'm not as hopeless as everyone thinks. At the age of 8, I was actually surviving on my own. Stealing what I could, knowing how to never get caught and of course having inside people to help. Never told my father though, I could never tell him.

We arrived at Jake's and Dad told me and Uncky to wait at the car for him, but both of us being stubborn, we tailed after him to the bar. Again the town is covered in eaters, my uncle and I play it close. I sneak around cars and take out as many as I can that are in my way. He plays it safe too, watching my back as I do the same for him. I see a sign that say 'fried chicken' and all i think is how good that sounds.

We wound up in front of the bar. We see a bunch of bikes lined up out front, i run my hand over my dad's before I hear a gun shot and Daryl calling his name.

"Merle! What the hell!?" Daryl yells opening the door. I follow behind him.

"Don't kill me brutha!" I hear one of them beg. I look to see my dad holding a gun to his head. I hide behind Daryl.

"I ain't your brother." Dad responds.

"It wasn't my idea to sell you out, I swear it." The guy says holding his hands up.

"Oh I believe you ash." His name is Ash? "You're to chicken-shit to cross me. Now why don't you tell me where the rest of the club's at."

"Out man! Lookin' for stuff."

"Oh, damnit Merle!" Daryl's angry. "This whole trip was just for your stash?"

"Quit your bellyaching, you're giving me a headache, son."

"Jess was right about you," He points his finger at my dad. "you selfish son-of-a-bitch!"

"Aww! Don't be that way! Look, I kept that crossbow of yours. And Alice's bow." I look down to see it hanging on a dead body. Let's say green arrow taught me a lot, yes I love comics. Problem?

"Man, you just don't get it, do you?"

Another man come into the bar but ran once he saw my dad. Dad ran after him.

Dad wait-" I got knocked on the ground and so did my uncle.

"Go on, grab his shit! We gotta get to Merle before he can ride!" My vision came into focus as my uncle helped me up.

"Where's my blade..." They took everything!?" My uncle looked around found a knife and looked down at the body on the floor. "You got somethin' of mine." He clicks his crossbow into place and I grabbed my bow and arrows off the floor.

"Ugh there all dull." I say to my uncle. I have about five or six in the pouch but that's it till I can find or make more. But they are mostly dull so that ain't gonna help.

"Give me 'em, I'll sharpen 'em with the knife." I hand them to him. His bolts look like mine, but I always paint them pink so he knows they are mine and not to touch. "Here good as new." He hand them back to me. "

We exit the bar and where back in the open. "I need to find Merle. Have a little chat. Get my gear back and then some! Go back to the car, wait on top, not in got it?" I nod and head my way back. I know thing between him and dad can get a little headed. I run back to the car and did as I was told.

"Hey a little help?" I look next to me to see the same woman from the diner on top of the car. I was able to kill six of the walkers. There was still a lot left and I am out of bolts. Just then, bolts come flying out of nowhere.

"Saved your ass at the diner. Do I look like your bitch?" Daryl comes out and starts yelling at her. I jump from the top of the car to gather my bolts. She jumps from the top of the truck

"Ha! Not in that outfit."

"What? Aw, hell no." He turns to leave.

"Wait! Aw, c'mon, I was only teasing."

"Where's that bag you promised me at the diner?" I laugh at remembering what I told him about a bag of nothing.

"Heh. We haven't even gone on a date." She witty. I like her.

"What?"

"Give a girl a ride and we'll talk." She says walking towards the car.

"Let's go... before I change my mind."

"Here." She says tossing me one of my uncle's bolts.

"Not mine." I tell her.

"How can you tell?"

I hold the bolt up to her. "Mine are colored pink at the ends." I point out.

"Learn something new every day." She says getting into the car. I go into the back as my uncle gets into the driver seat. I climb into the back and take a drink of the water. Daryl peels out into the road and they discussed where to go and what to do. Me? I decided to go to sleep. Been awhile and I do miss cuddling my blanket.


	7. Chapter 7

"You don't say a whole lot, do you?" She asks Daryl trying to break the silence in the car. I keep forgetting my dad isn't with us. I know he'll be okay, but I want him here, with me.

"Nope." One word answers. Always hate them.

"Right. So, I'm Anna Turner, but all my friends call me Scout. Look, about leaving the diner, I had to get my friend to a hospital. You got people depending on you, you need to push on. My dad's a sheriff, so I was helping with what I could. Scrounging supplies. Helping people." She's actually sounds like she cares. Not some person who likes to bullshit to get her way through.

"So what happened?"

"He made me promise to get to the evacuation point at Palmetto Estates. Said he was pulling his deputies and meet me there."

"That's the best plan I heard all week." I nod silently at my uncle in agreement.

"What are you gonna do about her?" Scout asks Daryl.

"What 'bout her?"

"Is she gonna be alright? I mean with her father being gone and all. She's tough, I can see it in her. I'm just worried." She doesn't look at me but Daryl keeps his eyes on the road. They do go to her for a second but then back to the road.

"If you'd know her before this. You wouldn't be worried."

"Aren't you?"

"Nope."

Thank god the rest of the trip is silent. I like her and all, but damn, stay out of my business. She don't know me and I sure as all hell don't know her. And now ain't the time to get to know each other. Maybe once we reach the evacuation point and make it to safety but now just isn't.

We arrive at the mall, or what used to be the mall. Damn I miss shopping.

"Huh, don't look like nobody's here." Daryl says while looking around. I look around to just to be safe.

"Yeah, it's pretty quiet. Maybe somebody's hold holed up inside." Scout says also take a quick glance around. "I'll circle around, you want to try there?"

"Yeah, either way. Sooner we wrap this, the sooner we're back on the road. Alice, go with scout, it'll be safer." He says to me walking to the fence.

"But..." I started.

"What did I say?" He points to scout and I go with her. I don't want a lecture later. We leave and circle around. I look out to see something on the hill. I go to point it out to scout but she's already on the radio calling my uncle.

"Hey. I see some movement on the horizon. Coming in pretty fast."

"Can you tell what it is?" He replies.

I look up at her and calls my uncle again. "I can tell I don't like it. You probably want to get inside." She says while nudging me down into the other store. We look out the window, keeping are heads low and trying not to make a sound. We see a ladder and climb it to the roof like we talked about doing.

"How was that for timing?" She says to him through the walkie. As soon as we got here, Daryl got to where he has to bed.

"All right. What's your situation?"

"We're cool. On the roof across from you. Oh. Whoa..." I see it too. Thousands of eaters crowding the streets, like a big parade.

"What?"

"Are you looking outside?" She asks.

I lay down on the roof as scout does the same. I don't want to be spotted by those things. And there is a tank driving down the road. Shooting all the eaters in the street. They gotta be military soldiers.

"If you wanna make it to the evacuation point, I hope you know how to roof jump." I tell her getting up and jumping to the roof to the connected stores. She follows after me and we run to where the helicopter has already left without us. I look down to see my uncle fighting lots of those creatures.

I sit on the roof and give my uncle so bird eye coverage. I grabbed the riffle and started snipping at them. I mainly got the ones who were really close to him. The last one nearly bit him. If I did get it, he' be dead for sure. He looks up at me and gives a reassuring nod that he's okay.

I jump from the roof, onto a truck, then on a cop car. To say the least, I'm very good at what I do. I know how to avoid situation where I can get killed and where I know I'll get slightly injured. But I got lucky with that jump.

"C'mon let's get back on the road." He says to scout, while putting his arm around my shoulder and pretty much pushing into the car. He's probably mad at me for either one of two reasons. One, Using a gun without him there, or two, leaving Scout. Probably both though and I'll hear about it later.


	8. Chapter 8

Silence. How nice it sounds. I hate having to think about those things outside and thinking about the other things along the way. But here, in the car with my uncle and scout, I feel normal, like a road trip almost. My dad and me used to take road trips all the time, mainly to the air field where he worked most of the time before they found him unstable and said he couldn't be in the service anymore.

"...spot it? They were supposed to check in." A voice sounded over the radio. My uncle turned it up. Goodbye quietness. "Negative, control... circling the freightyard... wait, there it is. Aw, damn. Yeah, there's the train. Smashed to hell. Off the rails... looking for survivors... What about the cargo? We NEED those munitions for the evac..."

"You hear that?" scout says, sounding... proud? "Trainload of munitions dumped at the freightyard. What do you think now?" She's smirking at him.

"Yeah, I think we're gonna make a stop." Another stop? Really? I just wanna get there already.

"Daryl, what if it's another dead end?" I ask. He send me a look through the review mirror.

"It ain't gonna be another dead end. Whatever'd down there, we can use." He says turning back to his conversation with scout. Then another voice sounded over the radio.

"Scout, come in. Scout, you copy?" The strange voice asked.

"Daddy! I'm here! Where are you?" Well that answers who that man is. We hear him cough. "Daddy? Are you okay!? Scout voice drop a little. There was no response back, which could either be good or bad. But I don't think that matters because we just arrived at the freightyard.

We get out of the car and look around at the abandoned highway and the derailed train below.

"Nice night, huh? I'm having second thoughts about this one." Scout says. Good! Then let's go.

"Hey I'm gonna go check it out. If it looks dicey, I'll be right back." My uncle, always the hero I guess.

"If it looks dicey? Hillbilly you've been at this way too long."

"Alice stay here. I mean it." That tone means I better obey or else, but I ain't In the mood for an adventure right now so I obey and stay with scout like I'm told. I watch my uncle climb down the latter as I whisper 'Be careful' But I don't think he heard me.

"Your uncle is very brave. It's almost stupid." I send her a look.

"He isn't," I snap at her. "He's just trying to protect his family!" she takes a step back and her eyes goes wide.

"I didn't mean—"

"Enough! Just drop it!" I snap, cutting her off and making myself comfortable on the hood of the car.

"I didn't mean to offend you." She says, and I can tell she means it.

"Talking about people, is just something I don't like." I say. "It gets you in trouble."

She looks at me and smiles. "How so?"

"Keep talking and find out." I say and she goes quiet after that. I wait a while and then I see my uncle heading up to far side of the road. I rush over to him.

"I saw you fall." I say to him.

"You're heads bleeding." That's scout, obviously.

"No, I'm okay. Chopper kicked up some shit is all. Isn't merle up here?" I look at him for a second. He talked to my father? When?

"No, just us. Wait! Your brother Merle? You talked to him down there?"

"Yeah, on the walkie! He said—"

"THAT walkie?! It's broken! Must've happened when you fell! It doesn't even have batteries!" I say to him. I didn't know he has hallucinations.

"But—"He starts but scout cuts him off saying lets go, and we all get into the car. Daryl get in the front seat, scout is driving this time, because he needs to take care of his bleeding head. I don't look at him, but I know he knows I'm worried about him.

Finally he speaks. "Seeing your father is a bad idea. Saying goodbye on the radio is the best thing to do."

"When I was seven... I wanted a dog in the worst way. But uhh, my dad has always allergies real bad. One day he came home with a brand new puppy and a grin ear-to-ear. Even though my dad hates needles, he got shot every week for fourteen years and never said a word." He voice breaks then and tears start to fall. "Daryl, I'm have the person he is and he loves twice as much as I deserve." Sometimes I feel that way with my father.

""You're not going to evacuate, are you?" Daryl says, his voice is low.

"He's my dad. What would you do in my place?" In a way, she does have a point. If I had the choice, would i go with my dad, or evacuate with my uncle. I would probably go with my dad, but they never split up unless dad does something stupid like leaving us at the bar.

"Daryl, what do we do from here?" I ask.

"Find the evac point. And leave." He says.

"What about—"

"Merle will be fine. Don't you worry about that."

"Right." I mutter and the subject is dropped.


	9. Chapter 9

We pull up at palmetto Estates and right in front was a cop car parked in front. Scout got out and made her way to the car.

"See you around hillbilly." She says while tossing my uncles rag back at him. He rubbed it between his fingers for some reason before putting it back into his pocket.

"C'mon, we gotta search these houses. Stay close." I listen and stay close to him. He has his bow ready for fire as I have mine laid on my back ready to grab if needed. We walked around the neighborhood and walked up to one of the house that had a barracked in front of the door.

My uncle opened the door carefully to see a woman staring far away from the door.

"Did Aden send you?" She asks us.

"Who's Aden?" I asked, giving her a puzzled looked.

"My husband, Aden, still knows how to signal the last evac helicopter out. He was supposed to be back by now. He went to check on the Harrison's in the house across the street."

"We'll go look there then." He looked down at me. "C'mon, you can help me check out these houses." We left the house and ran across the street. Taking out a few walkers as we did so. We walked into the house and checked every corner to make sure it was safe.

"Sh, shhhh, It's gonna be alright." Is was we heard from one of the rooms. We entered the room and there was a man sitting on the bed. A woman laid on the bed, his wife i think. HE looks at us and speaks. "Are you looking for the evacuation point?"

"You Harrison? I'm trying to find Aden. Lady across the street said he was here." My uncle speaks, adjusting the cross bow on his back.

"Lady... oh Jane? Yes Aden was just here but left for the mechanic shop, just down the road. You should be able to catch him. Please tell him to begin," he looks down at his wife, and his face says it all. "Please tell him to begin, it won't be much longer now." We turn to leave and as we are leaving, he asked us to stop in the pharmacy to bring his wife pills to 'ease her suffering.'

We leave the house and make are way through the rest of the houses. A walker stood in the door way and I aimed an arrow at its head as Daryl prepared to get it for me. We walked in silent as we searched the rest of the neighborhood empty houses.

"Nothing else to grab." I say as I grab what was left in the house.

"Yeah, but keep looking, something has to be here." He says checking each room very carefully. I sigh but keep on looking for whatever I can grab. I managed to grab some canned food out of the cabinet and I did find some dog food, but I don't think Uncle Daryl would want that. Then, I opened a drawer and to my surprise it has an IPod, but it was dead completely, oh well I guess. I continued to search and I couldn't find anything else that might be of use.

Daryl came back from checking the rooms and came back with a few drink bottle. He handed something to me and I almost died of happiness when he gave me a Pepsi bottle. It hasn't expired yet and I know what I'm drinking later. Daryl has a smile on his face, well more of a smirk but whatever.

"Thank you, Uncky." I say hugging him. He rubes my back and mutters a 'welcome'.

We leave the house, placing the drinks into the bag and walking up the path. We kill a few walkers along the way and finally reached the pharmacy. I searched the shelfs and took what I thought we could use. I found some pain reliever, sleeping pills, heartburn, and some cramp meds. I took all of them and shoved them back into the bag around my shoulder.

"Run those meds back to Harrison. I'm going to find Aden. Go across the street and wait for me with Jane." He says handing another bottle of pills. "Be careful, I'm trusting you." I nod and head my way back to Harrison. I ran as fast as I could and finally reached the porch. I entered the house and a loud BANG sounded out. I run to the bedroom and stop in the doorway. Harrison's wife laid on the bed with blood coming from the poor woman's head. He mumbles something to her like, he thought he'd have more time and that he promises to find his daughters.

"Oh the medicine." He looks at his wife then back at me. "Thanks anyways." I sigh and leave the house and head across the street to meet with Jane. I knock on the door and she opens it, letting me inside.

"Did he find my husband?" She asked, I opened my mouth to speak and then there is banging on the door and then the snarling started and me and Jane barracked are way into a corner and I had my bow ready to launch the first arrow. They started to break down the door but I can see Uncky coming up the driveway, he took down all the eaters in front of the door but as I got a good look I can see Harrison's door being broken down and then a loud scream came from his house.

"You did it!" Jane exclaimed. "Where's Aden?"

"The chopper took him, wouldn't let him off."

"He's going to Atlanta, that's where I'm going."

"It's Atlanta then."

"Wait what about dad?" I ask. "We can't just leave him here."

"Darlin' you gotta stick with me on this, your dad is gone, nothing I can do about it. But I ain't about to leave you behind, so were going to Atlanta." He says and it's that same tone that used for years. The one that says I shouldn't argue and just obey him.

We getting in to the vehicle and after so many weeks of craving it, I finally get to drink my Pepsi, oh how I missed it. Every summer, when I'm with my dad, he'd buy me a 24 case of Pepsi. My uncle always yelled at him about me drinking too much soda, but he always one up him, saying that he knows how to take care of a kid and that I work hard and dealing with my mother in Mexico, I deserve this every now and then. But I only get once case for the 2 months I'm there. Which isn't bad, most of the time I always drank water. And I opened up a bag of sour cream and onion chips, which I also love, and proceeded to let the short little paradise last.


	10. Chapter 10

"Wake up. This is it." Daryl says to us. I slowly untangle myself from my blanket and place it into my bag. Jane slowly wakes up too and she has sleep in her voice.

"Hmm? Are we there? Look! Firesign stadium! That's where they're evacuating." She yells out in excitement. We pull into the stadium and I noticed something really strange.

"This ain't right." I say. "Something ain't right..."

"What?! No! NOO! Daryl, Alice, get to the gate." They leave us. They take off and leave us and Daryl grabs my hand starts running.

"Damnit. I should have known." HE mutters still running with my hand in his. I try to keep up and my little feet can run. "They got in. They got the soldier. They got EVERYBODY." We keep running there the gate till we reach the football field.

We start hear something over the... announcement? "Whoa. WHAT?! It's still on?"

".. Please remain calm and orderly." The announcer said. I toned out the rest because my main focus was getting to the evac point and that probably dead bitch on the speaker, has nothing to do with that. Then... a helicopter comes flying at us. My uncle tackles me to the ground protecting me. "...evacuation procedures start in 9 minutes..." The woman continued me and Daryl continued running to the helicopter.

"Were cleared! We're clear! Is she loaded?! We're good to go. Control. Dr. Candace Jenner is aboard and we are prepared to..." and the radio cut off as the chopper took off into the air.

"WAIT! NO! Arrrrrggggghhhh." I hear my uncle whine as we run to the other chopper.

"Daryl? What are you doing there? Get Alice inside this chopper." Jane calls to us and I hate how she has to act all protective. Like she's my mom or something.

My uncle picks up a gun and I pick one up too. He give me a look. "Trust me. I'm a hell of a shot." And funny thing is I really am. I ran a train of walkers around the helicopter and It made shoots the walkers a hell of a lot easier. I killed almost all with the help of my uncle and then a tank comes busting into the field.

And...Dad? I heard his voice scream Pardon me and that is sure enough my dad. My uncle screams merle and hopes onto of the tank.

"Sight for sore eyes, am I right? Mount up and light em up." My dad says and he order my uncle to keep the walkers off him me and the chopper. My uncle starts screaming for the walkers to come at him and starts swear again. Once most of them are dead, my dad starts to order us around again.

"Get to the chopper, Darlene. If you want to catch that red-eyed flight anyways...you best go now."

"What about you? Huh? You dumb son-of-a-bitch?!" Uncky yells at dad. I really wish they'd stop yelling and get into the chopper.

"Right BEHIND you." He calls and I was about to get into the chopper but stop when I saw something. I backed away, I look at my dad and he sees it too. "Hey! Junior! Change of plans, gets in her." He calls out to Uncky.

"Merle, Arialice, come on. Get in the helicopter! There's plenty of room."

"Nah I pass. This ain't a ride we wanna take."

"Daddy..." I start as Uncky said Damnit and started to climb into the helicopter before my dad pushed him back singling the helicopter to take off.

"Man, what in the hell do you think you're doing huh?! You dumb son-of-a-bitch! The military don't give a shit about you no more! We could have been out of this mess forever!" My uncle yells and I open my mouth to speak but dad put a hand in front of me, shaking his head at me before looking back at his brother.

"Lucky for you I have an eagle eye. It's this one." He points to his left eye which is the same for me. "Didn't you see that bite on that whirlybird pilot? Hell, he was more than halfway turned already."

We get into the tank and I grab my bag and sit between my dad and uncle. As we start to drive away my dad speaks to my uncle.

"You know I got your back."

"Yeah I know." My uncle muttered.

"Hell, I'm the only man you could ever count on." We leave the field and my dad drives back to where we left the truck because he said he left his motorcycle in the same spot. He count the Truck, fixed it up and hid it along with the motorcycle.


End file.
